


Lost in Translation

by idioticintentions



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Eren as international student, German Speaking, Levi as coffeeshop owner, Levi wants to be the grown up, M/M, but he fails, coffee shop AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-06
Updated: 2014-05-02
Packaged: 2018-01-14 19:05:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1277530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idioticintentions/pseuds/idioticintentions
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren is an international student from Germany. Levi is the grumpy coffee shop owner. As they both learn, the language of love is not as universal as once thought.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It is a rainy day in September. The small town has been dragging its heels throughout the day. The push of people that generally crowds the streets has doubled since the nearby university had opened for its fall session. While fall is good for business, Levi misses the lazy summers. He, for one, is never lazy, but he likes how it is easier to keep his coffee shop cleaner when there is lower foot traffic.

Like, for example, right now.

There are puddles by the door and by the counter. Krista, a small petite blond, is attempting to get close to the doorway with a mop. However, the crush of new customers keeps pushing her back. Levi frowns when, for the third time, she has to take a quick double step back to avoid being trampled. Behind him, Ymir, who is making the drinks as quickly as the customers come in (sometimes Levi thinks she may be inhuman), elbows him briefly in the back as she grabs the next order. Levi grunts his recognition.

“Krista,” Levi calls over the buzz of the coffee shop, the petite blond quickly spinning the minute she hears her name. “Take over the register.”

Krista hurries over and Levi just catches the corner of Ymir’s smile as Krista returns. When Erwin encouraged that Levi hire some employees to maintain the coffee shop—his two hands not enough to handle the almost insurmountable student traffic—the ex-corporal had scoffed. No one could keep his precision and thirst for perfection, but he was proven wrong. Hanji had conspired with Erwin and introduced Levi to Ymir; the girl was brusque but good at what she did. Krista, Levi had been less sure about hiring, but Ymir convinced him and Levi has yet to regret it.

Levi takes up the mop, thinking to himself that the coffee shop owner should not have to do this. But when it comes to cleaning, no one else really should do it. Levi is so particular that whenever anyone else closes, he always does a once over after they leave.

Mop in hand, Levi pushes towards the door. The flow has ebbed—the rush between classes having brought huge amounts of student in and then sent a huge amount out. Levi begins swabbing the floor when a very wet student runs into him. The coffee shop owner after years of hard combat training hardly moves with the force of the hit and the poor student bounces back into the shutting door. The bell jangles violently above them.

“Entschuldigung, bitte” the student says with a gruff tone. Levi is very confused, wondering why the kid would be saying ‘bitty’. Is he calling Levi short? He is short, but no one should call someone short. Levi bristles and then catches sight of the flustered kid. Dark brown hair is plastered to a tanned forehead, bright turquoise eyes seeking forgiveness from Levi. Then the student turns red when he realizes that what he just said wasn’t English. Sometimes it was so hard to remember when it’s a knee-jerk reaction. “Sorry,” the student says, accent rough. “I am sorry.”

Levi nods, eyes narrowed, and steps away so the student can properly enter.

“Still working on my English,” the student laughs, turning a soft shade of red. “Sorry,” he says again and steps away and towards the counter. He keeps casting glances towards Levi until Krista distracts him with small talk. Levi shakes his head, greatly amused.

~*~*~

The next day, the skies have cleared. Ymir has classes all day and Krista has a morning block of labs. Consequently, Levi is opening the coffee shop by himself at 6 in the morning, moving about the task as someone well versed in each nuance. The sun peeks over the town outside. The buildings are caste in gold and low mist hangs on the streets. Levi takes in the sight, frowning a little less than usual to himself.

After so many years in the desert of Afghanistan, thinking he might never make it home again, it is nice to be subjected to the beauty of a small town. Something he once took for granted, he now treasures immensely. If Erwin so much heard him breathe a word of such, he would never hear the end of it.

The bell above the door chimes and Levi steps away from the front window. Two people stand by the doorway. One is a young woman, dark hair framing her face and falling just short of her shoulders. Her expression is bored, but intensity simmers just beneath it. Beside her is another student, the same one that ran into Levi yesterday. His hair, no longer wet, sticks up in all directions and his smile is nervous.

“Sorry,” the boy says slowly, obviously feeling for his words. “Are you open?”

“Does the sign say open?” Levi says somewhat tersely. Sometimes he legitimately wonders why he went into the service business, but his sour attitude has done little to dampen his business. If anything, it may have made it pick up. Levi stares past the pair at the sign beside them that he had flipped to say ‘open’ just moments before. The girl catches his gaze and shrugs, nudging Eren further into the shop.

“Come on, Eren,” the girl says, “It is open.” She steps up to the order spot of the counter and Levi quickly steps behind the counter. “We would like two breakfast burritos and two coffees.”

“Medium coffees?” Levi asks, trying to place the accents of the girl. It’s similar to Eren’s, but nowhere near as rough. Her pronunciation is also much clearer.

“Yes.” The girl answers succinctly.

Levi nods and gets their coffees. He hands them over and goes about to fix their food.

The two sit at a table near the window. Eren drops his head into his hands, a blush he had been fighting finally pinking his cheeks. The girl smiles and takes a sip of her coffee. “Don’t worry,” the girl says. “I wasn’t used to ‘open’ on signs either.”

Eren grumbles, but picks his head up. “Mann, bin ich dumm,” Eren says sullenly.

“English,” the girl corrects.

“Mikasa,” the boy whines but the girl is adamant.

Eren sighs. “I feel so dumb,” he repeats his voice rough around the edges from attempting to use an American accent.

She smiles softly.

Then, at that moment, Levi walks over with two breakfast burritos. He had caught the tail end of the conversation and his heart goes out somewhat for the foreigner. Levi had come to America at a young age from France and he remembers switching to English. It was a difficult transition; things so easy in France seemed impossible to communicate here.

“Where are you from?” Levi asks once he places the food down.

“Dresden, Germany.” Mikasa answers for them, Eren having opted for taking a bite of his burrito. He hums in satisfaction at the blending of cheese, eggs, and bacon on his tongue. Mikasa gives him a pointed look and Eren hurriedly swallows.

“Yes, both of us come from Dresden.”

“I don’t know what they teach you in Germany, but in America we don’t speak with our mouths full,” Levi says with a teasing undertone to his deadpan. Mikasa finds the repartee amusing and Eren only blushes. God, Levi thinks, does this kid ever stop blushing? “Welcome to America, though. English is a tough language, but I trust you’ll do fine.”

“Thank you,” Mikasa says. The coffee shop owner nods.

Levi walks away then, a handful of people coming through the door. Most are professors, but a Teaching Assistant is also mixed in there. Petra waves to Levi. Distracted by the new customers, Levi doesn’t see Eren smile and relax.

Mikasa does and decides she likes the Wings of Freedom coffee shop just fine.

“That is an eccentric coffee shop owner,” Mikasa says on their walk back towards campus. Eren is walking beside her but his head is obviously elsewhere. She suspects it may be back in the coffee shop they just left.

Eren reluctantly nods. The coffee shop owner is definitely not normal. But...

 “Do you think he is cute?”

Mikasa shrugs. “You should focus on your English, not some coffee shop owner.”

“I know,” Eren says. “But…?”

Mikasa nods. “Yes he is attractive. He is also twice your age.”

“Oh,” Eren says. But it hardly changes his mind. Mikasa knows it hardly changes his mind. Eren had the tendency to fall into everything fully and, when he bumped into the grumpy coffee shop owner yesterday, he fell head over heels into that crush. Mikasa resigns herself to many future meet-ups and quick stop-overs in the Wings of Freedom Coffee Shop.

“Maybe not twice my age,“ Eren says softly.

Mikasa bumps into his shoulder, rolling her eyes behind the cover of her bangs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I prompted myself on this one and I'm hoping I can carry it out until the end. The German sucks. I know. I've been overhauling it ad hoc and I want to genuinely thank everyone for the corrections. Seriously. You guys are the bomb diggity bomb. Keep correcting me please.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren is not really a coffee person. Levi can't stand indecisive people. The saga continues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for the comments on the last chapter and all the kudos! Hopefully the updates will be about a week or 2 apart from now on; I will try to set up a rhythm! If you don't see an update, you can hunt me down on tumblr @ idioticintentions
> 
> Sorry this is so short. The next one will be longer! I promise!
> 
> Also German has not been checked by anyone but me, so sorry for mistakes.

In the beginning of September, the weather is beautiful. Levi may never use those particular words to describe it, ‘not bad’ being his form of highest praise, but he greatly enjoys the turn to Autumn that September brings. Of course, on days as beautiful as this, few people stay in the coffee shop, so that it is almost entirely empty by mid Saturday.

Levi is by himself behind the counter, counting the ceiling tiles, when the bell above the door chimes. He thinks it might be Hanji, a welcome nuisance, but it’s the foreign student, Eren. He had been in a few times the past week with Mikasa.  She always ordered for him and Levi was mildly curious as to what he would order with complete authority over his decision.

Apparently, though, Levi has to wait a while longer to learn the answer to that question. Eren stands dumbly in front of the counter, eyes focusing so hard they begin going cross-eyed staring at the menu. Levi looks behind him, to check Krista hadn’t drawn something on it that may obscure the menu options, but the chalked menu board is pristine.

Eren continues gaping.

Levi begins drumming his fingers.

“Please tell me you can read,“ Levi grumbles.

Eren pinks, a small fury burning in his eyes. “I can read,“ Then he brings a hand up to scratch his head, tilting it. “I just can’t choose.“

“How about a vanilla latte. All the girls like vanilla lattes.“ Levi says impassively.

“I’m not a girl. And I’ll have an espresso!“ Eren decides suddenly, fist slamming on the counter. Levi watches the impact with as much interest as one would hold watching paint dry. It’s when Eren pulls his hand away, revealing a mark left behind on his freshly wiped counter, that Levi frowns.

“Whatever you say princess. Dollar fifty.“

Eren sputters at the nickname, but hands over the money.

While Levi goes to make the espresso, he watches Eren as he sits by the window. It is the same table he and Mikasa had taken their first breakfast; it’s the same one they kept trying to grab each successive visit. The sun slants perfectly over the table, seeming to capture just it and its occupant in a ray of golden sunlight. If Levi allowed his mind to wander, he might notice how the mid-afternoon sun dyes the ends of Eren’s hair gold. Or how his green eyes look almost amber in the light, sharp and bright as they watch the slow trickle of people outside. He might also notice the short, aborted glances Eren casts his way.

But Levi is engrossed by the coffee, missing all of it; or at least that’s what he tells himself when his eyes and Eren’s briefly meet. 

“One espresso,“  Levi announces as he drops the small cup on the table, the plate beneath it rattling. Eren jumps at his sudden appearance and then looks at what he is pretty sure is mud in a cup. Is that really what he ordered? Didn’t Armin drink this? How _did_ he drink it? 

“Are you going to study it or drink it?“ Levi asks, still standing across from him.

Eren frowns. Deciding that he did order this and he did pay for it, he might as well drink it. Also, the cute coffee shop owner is now expecting him to drink it and Eren will not disappoint. “Zum Wohl“ Eren raises the espresso cup and then brings it to his lips. He takes a large gulp.

He lasts for a moment, thinking the taste is not all the bad, but then it gets worse. The strength makes his eyes water and he begins to sputter.

“Vanilla Latte it is,“ Levi announces smugly. He takes the espresso away, leaning on the table, only half a foot away and Eren can feel the heat of his body. “And don’t order something you can’t drink, brat.“

Eren feels a mixture of anger and embarrassment. He expects the coffee shop owner to return with the latte, laugh at him as he drinks it, and he wonders if he should maybe just leave. But when Levi returns with the latte, he has a second for himself. “I don’t like straight espresso either,“ he says as he hands the latte over.

“Thank you,“ Eren accepts, taking a sip. This is much better, he decides, and smiles as warmth spreads through him. The heat concentrates in his cheeks when he sees Levi is watching him.

“So does Mikasa always order for you?“ Levi asks after a beat.

Eren glances away, embarrassed. “Yea. Well here. In Dresden, I usually do the ordering, actually.“

Eren’s voice is rough. Even Erwin, after years of shouting commands and harsh battles, does not have such a vibrato. It sounds like how good bourbon tastes and Levi is not talkative, but now he wishes he were. Or at least more of a conversationalist so that he could hear more.

“Why not here? Us Americans that scary?“

Eren laughs and graces Levi with his first real smile. „No, you are all so nice.“ He gives Levi a pointed look so that the coffee shop owner knows he is included in that statement. Then Eren looks away, voice softening. “It’s mostly my accent. I...I sound so different.“

“For most, an accent is a turn-on.“ Levi says candidly, tone bland.

Eren’s brow furrows. “Turn on?“ he repeats.

The German watches him, waiting. The coffee shop owner, never terribly shy to begin with, says tonelessly “They think an accent is sexy.“

Eren’s throat clicks when he swallows.

Levi is self-satisfied. “But I suppose that is something you hardly have to worry about with Mikasa practically attached to you.“ He says a little more snidely than he had intended.

“We’re not together,“ Eren says softly.

“What?“ Levi asks, not quite catching the words.

“Mikasa and I aren’t together.“ Eren says louder.

“Looks that way.“

“I know.“

The silence persists. Levi sighs, turning to watch as the evening descends. He can see the stragglers from the park heading back towards town. He sees a few regulars among them and he knows he will be busy in a few moments.

Eren’s stare is far off. His mind somewhere else entirely. Levi wonders if he should apologize for pressing about Mikasa, but he hardly did anything to offend the kid. But he looks sad. Kind of lost. It must be hard, Levi thinks, studying in a foreign country. Not as hard as Levi trying to be nice, but the coffee shop owner decides to try.

“What are you doing for dinner?“ Levi asks, eyes watching the crowd approaching.

“Uh, I am...the dining hall, probably.“ Eren stutters, caught completely off-guard. His mind swims with ideas—maybe the accent comment was Levi flirting. Maybe he was attempting to feel out whether Eren was single or not with the Mikasa thing. His heart jumps in his chest. “So nothing. I’m not doing anything.“

“Good,“ Levi says decisively. “Because that dining hall food is bound to kill you. I close at seven, come back or stay until then; I’ll feed you and you can talk about whatever is bugging you.“

“I—“ Eren starts, but Levi shakes his head, stopping him.

“it’s not your accent, brat. Or that’s not the only thing bothering you.“ He wants to say _let me help_ but the words stick. They also sound far too similar to Erwin’s own diction for Levi’s comfort. “You constantly look half constipated and, whether it’s your crap school diet or some people issues, this should help. Especially since you’re becoming a regular, I don’t want people to think it’s my coffee shop making people constipated.“

It takes Eren a moment to catch up. Levi never felt so exposed in his life. Eventually the German speaks: “Thank you. I would really like to have dinner with you.“

“Just be here at 7, brat,“ Levi states as he walks behind the counter, ignoring Eren as he leaves.

 _I also see myself in you_ , Levi realizes as Eren leaves, the German waving enthusiastically from outside the front window. The ex-corporal gives a half-hearted wave back.

 Living in close quarters and having issues; you need someone outside to talk to. Or someone to kill. but Eren isn’t in a war zone and maybe Levi isn’t as cold hearted as he likes to think he is.

 

~*~*~

 

When Eren gets back to his dorm room, one he shares with Marco, he immediately tears through his closet. The German has hardly any time to realize that not only is Marco in the room, but so is Jean. The two others are sitting on Marco’s bed, watching the agitated Jaeger inspect every piece of clothing before tossing it over his shoulder.

“Are you alright?“ Marco hazards after a button down shirt flies by his head.

“Ich habe nichts zum Anziehen,“ Eren wails.

“Oh, maybe he’s going back to Germany,“ Jean says with an edge of excitement. He grins widely. Marco elbows him.

“Eren,“ Marco tries again, this time gaining his roommate‘s attention. He smiles when the frantic eyes turn towards him. “What’s the matter?“

“I have a date.“ The German says shortly and then turns back to foraging for an acceptable piece of clothing. Then he pauses, going over the conversation with Levi once more. “Maybe. I may have a date.“

“Wow, you’re so dumb you can’t tell when you ask someone out?“ Jean says. He looks at Marco for some back up, but the freckled man only shakes his head.

“He asked me out, which is more than you can say; no one wants to date a horse face.“

“Who even taught you that insult? I never heard it before you.“ Jean sputters unable to really refute his rather long stay in singledom, which is totally voluntary, by the way:  but by admitting that he would also admit who he swore celibacy for.

Marco shakes his head as his roommate and best friend fight, again.

“Maybe because no one was ever brave enough to say it to you; your face probably scared them away.“ Eren returns. He abandons his search for clothes, facing his adversary.

Jean bristles and stands. “Or maybe no one is _stupid_ enough to insult me.“

“Are you going to fight me?“

“Keep pushing your luck and we’ll see.“

Marco steps between the two before they head butt, or swing—he’s never terribly sure how the physical fight will start because, thank all the gods, one has not happened yet.

“Eren, you shouldn’t fight Jean; especially if you’re going on a maybe-date.“ Marco directs at Eren, then he turns to Jean. „And Jean, no punching my roommate.“

“But he started it!“ they both say in tandem.

“And I’ll finish it.“

All three boys look up to see Mikasa, who had just entered the room and issued a rather terrifying ultimatum. Jean blushes to be caught like this. About to apologize for his behavior when Mikasa completely ignores him to pull Eren’s ear. “No fighting, alright? New country. New start.“

Eren grumbles, but doesn’t argue.

Then Mikasa seems to take in the sight of the room and frowns. “Don’t you have a hamper?“ she asks.

“He has a date.“ Marco supplies happily.

Eren flinches. Mikasa goes still. Eren is waiting for her to accuse him of holding out on her, of not telling her sooner, but his adopted sister only sighs. “You definitely can’t go in that.“

“I know!“ Eren laments and drags Mikasa in front of his closet. “Help me,“ he pleads.

Marco crosses his arm, surveying the pitiful arrangement of clothes from behind the pair. “I might have something, if you need to borrow,“ he offers.

Mikasa frowns. "I think he needs to borrow.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dedicate this chapter to a friend of mine who attempted to impress someone by ordering and drinking an espresso, and then regretted it hugely. As a personal side note, I like espresso, but I feel like if you don't drink it or have the taste for it, it can be rather...er...shocking.
> 
> The not-a-date is next chapter. Still have to think what Levi should cook for them...


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren eats dinner at Levi's. It goes.

After cleanliness, Levi appreciated punctuality. And if his heart was not frozen, or non existent as Hanji has theorized, then it would have beat a little faster when Eren arrived at 7 o clock on the dot. The coffee shop owner had locked the door, forcing Eren to knock. The German grins widely when he sees that he has Levi’s attention. Levi grunts in mild surprise.

It had taken Eren over an hour to get ready, replete with Jean teasing him mercilessly. He had decided on a dark blue and grey plaid button down and a pair of dark grey pants. He tugs on the collar, the one Mikasa had insisted he button all the way, as Levi opens the door. It feels a little hard to breathe “Hallo,” Eren immediately says and then he indicates the bag he’s holding. “I brought apple cider. I’d bring wine, but I’m too young.”

“That’s fine, I don’t drink,” Levi deadpans. He grabs the bag from Eren and walks to finish cleaning behind the counter. “Thank you,” he seems to say as an afterthought and Eren titters nervously in response.

“it was—“

The German is cut off by Levi stating, “have a seat, I’m still closing up.”

Dutifully, Eren collapses into a seat. He watches as Levi picks up a piece of cloth from the counter and, much to Eren’s amusement, ties it around his head. The handkerchief serves to keep the majority of Levi’s hair back. It is also undeniably cute and Eren feels a flush across his chest begin to burn.

The coffee shop owner challenges him with a look. Eren only smiles in response. So much of him wants to say something, he feels he may be able to say something to the tune of ‘you’re cute like that’ without upsetting Levi, but he hardly wants to ruin the moment. He most definitely does not want to dash his chance.

“Make yourself useful,” Levi says after a moment in the gust of a sigh.

“yes, sir.” Eren answers quickly, springing to his feet. Then he swallows the nervousness and thinks, well, why the hell not. “You look really cute with your hair up like that.”

Levi turns his attention to the espresso machine, steamrolling past Eren’s comment with the grace of a beluga whale on land. “Just stack the chairs.”

Eren smiles when he catches the hint of pink in Levi’s cheeks.

The cleaning of the café takes longer than Eren’s patience could handle. He, for one, was not a neat person. And Levi’s cleanliness? Eren became more and more convinced it was otherworldly. By the end, Eren had extricated one of the chairs from its stacking and was nodding off in it. Everything smelled like Pine Sol and bleach. Levi nudged Eren’s foot with the broom, telling him to follow him upstairs for dinner.

The German checks his watch as he trudges up the stairs behind Levi. 20:00 blinks back at him and he frowns. “Why did you have me come by at 7 if it took you an hour to clean?”

“Because I thought you’d be later.” Levi confesses shortly.

“I’m German. We aren’t late.”

“It’s bad form to judge by stereotypes,” Levi chides.

Eren chuckles. “I suppose coming from France, it is right to assume everyone is late.”

“What did I just say about stereotyps?” Levi asks as he works to open the door to his apartment. The lock is old, so sometimes it sticks. He has thought about replacing the door knob for awhile but never seems to have the time to bother.

“Sorry,” Eren apologizes, but Levi can tell its insincere, especially with the husky undertones Eren imbues in it. “It’s just when you fit so many of the other stereotypes, it’s hard to not assume the rest.”

“That I’m arrogant?” Levi asks, finally opening the door.

“No, that you’re hot.”

“That’s not a stereotype,” Levi corrects but finds stepping through the door a little harder, his feet a little heavier. Or it might be that his heart is racing and his mind is a blur. Did he just hit on him? Hasn’t this kid been shy the past few times? Or was it just because he was nervous, being in a new country for the first time, and now he was coming into his own?

Levi steps into his immaculately kept apartment and gestures towards the kitchen. “Take a seat at the table, I’ll get the food.” Eren looks at him expectantly, or is simply gauging whether his statement had affected the coffee shop owner; it’s difficult to tell when his eyes are so big and green and distracting. Levi coughs into his hand. “I said go sit your ass down, brat.”

Ere jerks into motion to take a seat at the table.

Dinner is a sundry affair. Once Eren gets all the flirting out of his system, most of it being precluded by the best Coq Au Vin he ever ate, their conversation became very easy. Witty (and somewhat crude) repartee interjected itself among mild conversation about Eren’s school and Dresden and the odd things Americans do (and eat).

When the dinner ends, Levi realizes he never asked Eren what had been wrong. The German seems to notice the spark in the coffeeshop owner’s eyes and he nervously pushes the sauce around on his plate. Now he wishes that he was of drinking age. So far everything had been going well and now the real reason this had happen would come forth. Eren felt stupid to have gotten lost in the fantasy this had actually been a date.

“You only need to tell me if you want to,” Levi says after five painful minutes.

Eren nods and takes in a deep breath. “I miss home.” Another breath and his eyes still can’t meet Levi’s. “And I like that Mikasa’s here, but Armin’s not, so that’s weird because we were always together. And now we’re not. Everyone is so different, too.” Eren is lost for words. They just don’t come to him and he realizes he has none. There are no words to express himself, a common problem has been having ever since he arrived.

“It’s easy to get used to different cultures,” Levi says softly. “It’s much harder to become a part of them. Don’t feel obligated to become American, Eren. Just be mindful. That’s it. That’s all you need.”

Eren laughs, it’s watery and soft. “Thanks. I guess that makes sense.” And it does. Maybe he had been trying too hard to measure up to Mikasa who had already been here a year. Or he was trying too hard to fit in with his friends even though he never quite did. Levi is right, he doesn’t have to be that way. It’s just a difficult reconciliation for Eren, for someone who is so used to throwing himself into everything headlong.

“Now, how about some wine,” Levi offers, standing up and going to his wine rack. “You just have to not tell Erwin or he’d kill me knowing I gave one of his students wine.”

They drink in silence. It’s something Eren finds he is unused to but nonetheless appreciates. Slowly, conversation builds again, this time about the wine and Levi’s interest in local wineries. He admits there is a wine-tasting festival approaching, which Eren wishes he could go to.

“Maybe next year,” Levi promises offhandedly.

Eren smiles.

“I’d like that,” he mumbles into the glass.

  
~*~*~

“So you just ate dinner?” Armin says. He is sitting cross legged on his bed, hoodie too large and hood pulled over his head. His laptop is in front of him, the only light in his dim room. Eren, plaid shirt unbuttoned and hair mussed, is staring at him through skype.

The distance has made their relationship change despite their best attempts at keeping it as close to normal as possible. The skype calls were intended to happen once a week. but they both have forgotten twice already (mostly Eren, but Armin doesn't blame him). Armin's been building a care package to send to the two siblings abroad. It's the closest he's felt to them in months. Maybe he'll visit, he thinks wistfully, and then focuses back on to the conversation. Or really, non-conversation because Eren is tight lipped after his half hearted story of meeting this 'hot coffee shop owner' for dinner.

Judging by his unkempt state, Armin is finding Eren’s story somewhat unbelievable.

“We had wine…” Eren finally divulges after a moment. “Like one glass, old man wouldn’t let me have a second.”

“Okay,” Armin says, one eyebrow arching as Eren seems to go through hundreds of different emotions at once. “Was it as least a good dinner?”

Eren mumbles something incomprehensible.

“Eren?” Armin prompts.

The tips of Eren’s ears tinge pink.

“He is so obnoxious,” Eren finally says, the levee that had held him back finally breaking. However, in the rush of words there is no anger. It is a distracted tone of voice that bespeaks of Eren’s lingering confusion and own feeling of impotence. “He bosses me around, first of all. Sometimes I feel like I should salute or say yes, sir because he is like that. Short, clipped, like some army general. And he makes fun of me, but then makes it seem like he didn’t? Like at least Jean(annoying horse face) realizes he is making fun of me, but I don’t know if Levi does or if he is just mean to everyone. Who is mean to everyone? How can you be mean to everyone? And why does he have to be so damned hot?!”

Eren finishes in a rush, biting his tongue when more wants to slip out. Like his hypothesis that Levi just seems mean because he’s a small person and so a normal person’s anger is just condensed in him. Or that Levi actually must have been in the army and—oh, oh, Eren has some fantasies about being bossed around now. Stop. Stop.  
Eren buries his head into his knees, arms wrapping over his head. Armin watches Eren cocoon himself with a mild level of confusion and a whole lot of concern.

“So you like him?” Armin finally hazards.

“I don’t know,” Eren mumbles through the layers of fabric. Armin has to strain to hear it.

But he knows that tone of voice, even when Eren is miles away and acting like a scolded toddler: Armin knows what he’s saying. “And you don’t think he likes you?” Armin ventures and, judging by Eren’s tensing shoulders, he had hit the nail on the head.

Armin shrugs, trying to be casual as he bites back a triumphant smile. “What I suggest, is you get to know him. I mean, you’ve known each other for a week? At most? Just get to know him and see what happens.”

“Easy for you to say,” Eren grumbles but he unfolds from his hiding position. His cheeks are rosy where his knees pushed into them. “Then do you think he’ll like me?”

“Dunno,” Armin says. “But this way at least you’ll find out.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People camp in coffee shops. But why does it have to be HIS coffee shop? Or, in other words, Levi is a grump. And Eren manages to make him smile.

The air smells of coffee and the fresh baked muffins that just came out of the oven. Everyone is lethargic at mid morning. The rush from breakfast having ebbed and the rush from lunch still an idea a few hours away from realization. The cold outside has caused the glass at the front to fog at the bottom. Everyone is bundled as they walk the grey pavement outside. Indoors, they shed their layers.

Mid October is interesting in Delaware. For those unused to it, it may seem the winter falls with a heavy hand. However, it is September that holds the summer too closely and then October is a quick shift to autumn. The sudden drop in temperature can seem like a huge change, but fifty degrees is well above freezing. The signs of the first frost will disappear by the weekend.

Either way, Levi can hardly complain about the weather. It brings a lot of people inside and into his shop. It also helps that the late summer rain has dried so that Krista’s signs can sit outside, announcing the specials with overly cute drawings winging them. Today she had a theme of autumn leaves and squirrels.

Levi sighs as he wipes down the long coffee bar, grimacing when sugar is sent onto the floor. Who was fixing their coffee here? The dressing station is obviously set a few feet away to avoid this mess. Then Levi looks up and sees the culprit. Hanji, with no doubt her fifth cup of coffee, is parked in the corner table with papers everywhere. Levi sighs and shakes his head.

The professor is a long time friend of his. A choice he questions almost daily. He decides to take a short break, handing the cloth to Ymir who takes it without a whisper of a remark. The owner walks over to the professor. Hanji reaches a hand up beside her ear to grab the pen tucked behind there, successfully missing twice before getting a hold—the paper she is holding in front of her face a few inches away is obviously absorbing her attention.

From beside the distracted professor, Levi clears his throat.

Hanji pushes the back of the pen into Levi’s forehead. Levi’s frown deepens.

 “Not now,” she mutters.

“I have the feeling the paper won’t be going anywhere,” Levi grumbles, crossing his arms.

“Oh, it’s you!” Hanji startles and smiles. She pushes her glasses up with her finger, the open tip of the pen running up her forehead with the movement and leaving a red line.

“And what if it wasn’t me shitty glasses?” Levi asks. While his voice is droll, there are a good number of thoughts buzzing through his mind. Like what if that was a customer? What if it was a health inspector? What if it was Eren? Not like it would matter if it was Eren. The kid would probably take it as some weird American greeting and start doing it. Levi would have to hide all the pens.

Hanji gasps. “Are you smiling?” she asks, hand over her mouth and a squeal starting high in her throat.

Levi growls. “I am not.”

“His frown was just upside down, happens sometimes,” Ymir comments as she walks behind Levi, a bucket full of dirty dishes she had cleared in her arms. Levi glares at her back and the female student continues on, unfazed.

Hanji smiles, practically giddy. “What were you thinking about?” she asks. Then Hanji begins rummaging around her, looking for a clean sheet of paper. “I need to take notes for posterity.”

“I’m not one of your inane experiments,” Levi says with an eye roll. “And none of your business. What are you doing making a paper factory of my coffee shop?”

Hanji stops in her pursuit of paper, her expression turning duly sheepish. “Oh this?” She looks around as if finally seeing the extent of her influence. She had adjoined a second table to hers and a third looks to be gravitating her way, some papers already caught underneath it. Levi can see Hanji’s characteristic red pen etched over the majority of the pages. One has a large letter grade on it. Oh. She’s grading.

“You need a T.A.” Levi concludes, picking up one of the tests and turning it over in his hands.

“Petra is sick,” Hanji says, “I wasn’t going to make the poor girl grade while she has the flu.”

“She has the flu?” Levi asks. Petra comes to the coffee shop often. In fact, almost daily she comes in to pick up coffee for her, Hanji, and the other T.A.’s. He had noticed her missing but assumed she had just been busy.

Hanji nods then her brow furrows. Then, she looks at Levi pointedly and it appears his attempt at switching the subject has run into a problem: Hanji never lets anything go.

“Tell me,” the professor says, jittery from the coffee and the fact that Levi’s lips twitched upwards for the first time in decades. “What were you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” Levi says, “Silence makes me smile. Now you know my secret.”

“This kid Eren,” Ymir says, behind Levi again. Levi glares at her and Ymir tsks. “You’ve been staring at him every time he comes in. He is also in some of my classes and I’m friends with his sister. I know way more than you want me to.”

“Are you dating?” Hanji asks excitedly.

“No,” Levi says sharply. Then he turns to Ymir with a flash in his slate eyes. “And get back to work. I don’t pay you to gossip.”

Ymir frowns and drops the pile of papers she had picked up for Hanji on the table, all meticulously lined up. Levi crosses his arms tighter over his chest. “I would appreciate if you didn’t spread rumors,” he says to Hanji. “He merely intrigues me. Little towns like this can be boring.”

Hanji salutes, smiling. “Scout’s honor!” she promises, but, as is always the case, her fingers are crossed behind her back.

Erwin. Is. Going. To. Flip.

^v^v^v^v^v

Columbus Day weekend Eren had traveled to New York City with Mikasa. He had done all the tourist-y things—he had seen the Freedom Tower, the Time Warner center, and Times Square. They went shopping in SoHo and spent a good while in the Strand. Eren found a book he thought Armin might like. He also found a mug in East Village that reminded him of Levi. Eren bought it despite his uncertainty that Levi would recognize the grumpy cat meme. Nevertheless, he was determined to give it to him as a thank you gift for the dinner.

Due to the homework Eren had to put off with his short vacation, he was not able to make it to the coffee shop until Friday the following week. Levi had spoken to Hanji the day before and has since been ruminating on her little comments. Especially the implication he might like Eren,

Eren has to be about half his age. He is young, in his prime, and _foreign_. It’s an unbreakable cosmic rule that all foreigners are twenty times more attractive than their native contemporaries. He probably has his pick at the university and anywhere else he opens his dumb, German mouth.

Which is fine. The kid’s in college and so that is perfectly normal and fine.

Then there was the dinner. While Levi did stay up later than he would like to admit, thinking on the dinner and Eren’s odd behavior, he largely owes it to the dissonance of culture. For all he knows, that was Eren’s poorly translated sarcasm or even more poorly translated attempts at conversation. Levi is out of his depth and out of his league. If he ignores Hanji’s texts as a result of this realization, so be it.

He is not being petty, he tells himself as he obstinately shuts his phone off. He is being mature. Anyway, he is an old man compared to Eren and the kid probably sees him as some sort of father figure. Ew.

The bell above thedoorl rings. Levi sighs as he steps away from the table he had been cleaning, hoping to possibly close a little early so he could meet his friends, Farlan and Isabel, at the bar. His eyes widen slightly when he sees the unmistakable and somewhat bedraggled form of Eren. Levi wants to ask him where he has been; or a voice inside his head that sounds like his wants to ask it. But he just bites the inside of his lip as he walks behind the counter.

“I’m not going to order anything,” Eren says quickly, toying with the sloppily wrapped gift in his hands. Levi can see that shoddy job, somehow endeared despite his usual perfectionist tendencies towards such details.

Levi sighs. “Now why would you come into a coffee shop if you aren’t going to order anything?”

“I just wanted to give you something,” Eren says. He then steps up by the register and places the gift on the counter. When Levi makes no move to grasp it, Eren says: “It’s for you, as a thank you for the dinner.”

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” Levi says softly, still not moving towards the gift. He is not much a gift giver himself and, after Hanji’s and Isabel’s pranks, he’s a little loathe to open boxes with unknown contents. However, when Eren smiles, green eyes shining, Levi relents. He mindfully opens the paper by the tape, unfolding it all in one piece to reveal a box with a mug inside it.

Really, he should not be surprised the kid got him a mug. Owning a coffee shop pins you as a coffee person and you are perpetually doomed to mugs as your default gift until the day you die. Levi just never expected Eren to give him a grumpy cat mug; while many acknowledged he wasn’t the happiest little camper, they never wanted to point it out in fear of how violent Levi may get. The truth is Levi is not violent, but it is rumored he could kill a man with a glare. He thinks that one was started by Farlan.

“A mug?” he asks. Eren nods, a hum of excitement in his throat. Levi looks behind himself at the rack of mugs for the shop. “Yes, I do not seem to have enough of those.” Eren’s face falls. He reaches for the box to take it back, but Levi scoops it up. He evaluates the box before stashing it under his arm, pinning it to his side with his elbow. “I’ll keep it,” he decides.

“You like it?” Eren asks.

Levi is about to say no, just to be difficult, but the words stop in his throat. The kid looks so star struck that he would feel terrible tearing him down like that. After all, Hanji and his own stupid crush that had gotten to him—not Eren himself.

“I like it. Thank you.”

The German smiles widely.

“Now get out of my shop, we’re closed.”

“See you around, Levi.” Eren says as he leaves, happiness apparent in his voice. The warmth of the tone gets to Levi. A tightness squeezes his ribs. Is he too young to have a heart attack? He presses a hand to his chest and then to the box.

“A mug,” Levi laughs to himself in disbelief, but he’s smiling. Just a small upward tilt of the lips that refuses to go away.

V^v^v^v^v^v^v

Levi and Eren have spoken very little, although the German has taken to camping at a table in the coffee shop in order to study. He is much less messy than Hanji; his mess is contained to a notebook and a textbook as well as whatever caffeinated beverage he is drinking to stay awake. Throughout the day, his friends visit. Levi would normally be annoyed if it weren’t for the fact that everyone always orders something. 

When closing time comes around and Eren is oblivious to the fact that he is the only one left, Levi drops into the chair across from him. The German looks up and immediately smiles. Levi places a mug on the table, turning it so Eren can see the disgruntled feline etched on the side.

“You use it,” Eren states rather than asks.

“Sometimes,” Levi admits, withholding the fact that he actually uses it often. There is something about a kindred spirit being emblazoned on the mug that makes the drink all the more palatable. “So what are you studying that has been taking you two days to learn?”

Eren glances away from Levi and towards the text book. His first of three tests in economics is coming; it is also his first test at an American university. He wants to do well.

“Economic, macroeconomics,” Eren says and sighs. He has so much more to study and the test looms next week.

“Thrilling,” Levi comments. He has little more to say on the subject. He never went to college, although Erwin sometimes urges him to go. Levi doesn’t understand why he needs a degree when he has a thriving business to prove himself by.

Eren nods, short and quick. Worry is etched on his brow.

“You’ll do fine,” Levi says in rote. He is also pretty sure all of Eren’s friends who came by might have said the same thing. Levi plays with the mug in his hands. Then, after a sigh, he asks: “Does this have anything to do with Mikasa? Did she do exceptionally well on her first test?”

The German glances away. “It doesn’t have to do with her.” His voice betrays him, but only so Levi knows it is a half truth. “I want to do well. That’s all.”

The coffeeshop owner evaluates the response. Then he leans back with a sigh and crosses his arms.

“If you keep your nose buried in that book any longer, you might turn into it,” Levi concludes. He reaches over and shuts the book. Eren’s eyes meet his, the green brilliant and breathtaking and Levi has to remind himself to breathe. God, he’s 35 not 13. Get it together.

“Why don’t you take a break,” Levi continues, “And you can help me finish off some of the cheesecake that we didn’t sell. It’s one slice and I ain’t saving it.”

Eren cracks a smile, the first Levi has seen all day. “Okay,” the German agrees. Then the smile widens. “Thank you.”

Levi gives a short nod and moves to get the cheesecake.

They eat it slowly, mostly due to talking. Levi listens to Eren talk about his trip to New York City. He even gets to see a few pictures, which are mostly shameless selfies or shots that intentionally catch Mikasa when she is gawking—a look Levi hardly expected to see on the rather stoic girl. Then the conversation turns to Levi and he talks about how started the coffee shop, how it was a result of a bad dare and, when it turned out for the better, he just ran with it.

“Didn’t even drink coffee before I started,” Levi confesses. “I drank tea. I guess it was a surprise this placed worked, but, between you and me, I think the location is what saved my ass.”

Levi indicates the university just a block down the street. “Erwin, the president and a friend of mine, helped me get this space. This is technically school property and I’m affiliated, or whatever…”

Levi trails off when he realizes Eren isn’t listening. The German is looking outside, deaf to the world. The coffee shop owner knows that face. Saw it on a good number of men in his unit overseas. “You miss home, don’t you?” Levi asks.

“yea,” Eren admits. But when he turns to Levi, his expression is happier but forced. “So you really started this place on a dare? Really?”

“Yes, I did,” Levi says, launching into a more in depth retelling than he is accustomed to in order to serve as a distraction and to keep those green eyes focused on him a little longer.

Later, when he turns his phone back on, he has a few missed calls from both Farlan and Isabel. He thanks all his lucky stars that tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum didn’t stop by to check on what was holding him up. He would never hear the end of it from Isabel and Farlan would attempt to have some sort of heart to heart about it. Levi could live the rest of his life without that happening.

What he was becoming unsure of, though, was if he could live the rest of his life without one Eren Jaeger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to post! It was half-done for a really long time and yea... So here it is! Hope you liked it :D


End file.
